Rodent exterminating device



March 3, 1964 H. YATES RODENT EXTERMINATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 27, 1958Tiq.2.

INVENTOR. IL/E RJHE L 44 TE 5 BY W Y 7' TORNE Y S United States PatentC) 3,122,857 RGDENT EXTERNIINA'HNG DEVICE Hershel Yates, Rte. 1, Box218, Vacaville, (Ialif. Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,629 2 Claims.(Cl. 43-131) This invention relates to apparatus for the killing ofrodents and the like, and is more specifically directed towards a rodentexterminator in which all moving parts found in conventional traps orexterminators have been eliminated.

In most conventional devices of the above character, there are providedvarious mechanical arrangements for trapping and/ or killing a rodent.Due to such mechanical arrangement, the parts will, in many instances,become worn and inoperative; and in many such devices, even when infirst class operating condition, it is necessary to reset the same aftereach rodent has been trapped or killed. In that type of rodentexterminator which employs a poison to be fed to the rodent, extremecare must be exercised to avoid spilling of the poison and to insurethat the poison remains Within the device at all times to preventserious illness or death to children and domesticated animals such asdogs, cats, fowl, etc. by contact with the poison.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide arodent exterminating device of simple, compact construction in which allmoving parts have been eliminated, and which may be efiectively operatedover extremely long periods of time without any required servicing ormaintenance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rodent exterminator inwhich a quantity of rodenticide is provided, which is adapted to becontacted by the rodent, and in which means are provided for positivelymaintaining a quantity of the rodenticide available for contact byrodents over extended time intervals, whereby the exterminator may beutilized over such extended period without servicmg.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of thecharacter described which is readily convertible for use of either aliquid or a dry rodenticide, and wherein the liquid rodenticide can befed into the exterminator at ditierent rates of flow by a simpleconversion depending upon whether a slow acting or a very potent liquidpoison is to be employed to thereby conserve unnecessary expenditure ofthe poisons while yet maintaining the apparatus continuously efiective.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide appara tus of the typedescribed in which the rodenticide cannot be spilled from the apparatus,even when the apparatus is tilted or upended.

Still another and further object of the invention is to provideapparatus of the character described which may be handled by childrenwithout danger of contamination by the poison.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted 3,122,357 Patented Mar. 3,1864 within the scope of the invention as set forth in the the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus embodying oneform of the present invention.

FIGURE 2. is an elevational view of one end of the apparatus of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View showing a modifiedfeed means accommodating a dry rodenticide.

In broad terms, the exterminator of the present invention is designed soas to permit a rodent to travel therethrough with a rodenticidecontained within the apparatus and in the path of travel for attractingthe rodent and subsequently killing it upon contact therewith, and sodesigned as to prevent spillage of the rodenticide therefrom in theevent of tilting or upending. It will, of course, be understood that theinvention is not directed to the poison or rodenticide per so as thereare numerous rodent exterminating chemicals readily available on themarket; but the present invention directed solely toward the means forcontaining such rodenticide, for preventing any spilling of therodenticide and for properly dispensing the same in a novel form ofdevice.

With reference to the drawing it will be seen that the device may besimply and economically formed of a hollow casing 10, preferably ofrectangular shape, to provide a bottom wall 12, a top wall 14 having acircular opening 16 centrally therethrough, sidewalls l8 and 25) joinedto and extending between said bottom and top wall, and a pair of endwalls 22 and 24 closing opposite ends of the joined top wall, bottomwall and side walls. By way of example, the casing may be formed of aclear plastic material such as Lucite or the like with the length of theunit being approximately 7 /2 inches long and the cross-sectional sizeof the casing being approximately 4 inches high and 3 /2 inches wide.Each of the end walls 22 and 24 has a central circular opening 26 and 23therethrough respectively for receiving therein one end of a shortlength of tubular conduit 3% and 32 respectively or which is preferablymade of the same material as the casing and has the one end flush withthe outer surface of the end wall. The conduits are in axial alignmentlongitudinally of the casing and terminate approximately haltway betweenthe end wall in which it is carried and the mid-point bet-ween the endWalls. Conduits 3d and 32 define tubular inlets which providepassageways permitting the travel of a rodent longitudinally of thecasing. The bore through the conduits may be of approximately 2 /2inches diameter so as to permit ready entry into the bore of a rodent,but which is sufiiciently small to prevent cats, dogs, or otherdomesticated animals from entering thereinto.

To provide means for holding a rodenticide within the apparatus andreadily available for contact by a rodent, in its path of traveltherethrough, a receptacle in the form of a cup 34 having a concaverodenticide holding well 36 opening through the top thereof is securedonto the bottom wall 12 centrally intermediate the ends thereof invertical alignment with opening 16 in top wall 14.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES l and 2, a container 37made of a plastic material, or of glass such as a conventional masonjar, is adapted to hold 3 a liquid poison therein and is inverted sothat its externally threaded neck 33 threadingly engages mating internalthreading in an upstanding annular collar 4% integrally formed with topwall 14 and disposed concentrically about opening 16 through the topwall to permit gravitational flow of the poison from the container. Thediameter of the collar is slightly greater than the diameter of theopening 16 so that an annular shoulder of flange 42 is provided aroundthe opening. A circular plate 4-4 is removably supported upon theshoulder 42 to effectively close the opening and prevent how of poisonfrom the interior of container 37 through neck 33 and opening 16.

Means for interconnecting the well 36 with the container 37 includesplate 44 and feed and vent pipes 46 and 48 respectively carried by plate44 to function in a manner which will presently appear, so that theliquid poison can be fed in a metered flow to the Well and insuringcontinuous replenishing of the well when filling is required either byreason of consumption by a rodent, evaporation or the like. Thus, arodent entering the apparatus through one of the conduits 3t), 32 willeither eat some of the liquid or contact the liquid with one of its feetand subsequently result in the extermination of the rodent. There arenumerous types of liquid poisons available on the open market which byodor or taste are attractive to rodents, and it is this type of poisonthat would be used in the container and the well.

The means for actually transferring the liquid in container 37 to well36 comprises feed pipe 46 carried by and opening at one end through theplate 44 to communicate with the interior of the inverted containercarried by collar &6. Feed pipe 46 extends from plate as to a pointwhere its other end is slightly above the bottom of well 36. However,with the container being'sealed, the mere use of the feed pipe will notresult in a gravitational flow of liquid therethrough, and therefore, avent opening providing communication between the interior of thecontainer and the atmosphere is required. To this end, plate 44 carriesvent pipe 48 passing therethrough parallel to feed pipe 46 andprojecting into the container 37 to a point above the liquid leveltherein and has its other end terminating in the same horizontal planeas the end of feed pipe 46 Within well 36 adjacent the bottom thereofprovides the necessary venting of the container to atmosphere. As shown,the diameter of the base of feed pipe 46 is such that approximatelyeight drops of the liquid poison will flow gravitationally therefrominto the well 36 every three or four minutes to provide an intermittentflow. The poison used is of a highly potent type requiring'only aboutfour drops to provide a fatal dose for a rodent. Thus, the apparatus hasthe potent poison supply constantly replenished on an intermittent basisto conserveunnecessary expenditure of this expensive poison and yet havea substantially constant supply of the poison available .for consumptionby rodents enticed by the odor and/or taste of the liquid into thecasing of the apparatus.

Where a faster feed of poison is desired, the plate 44 will carry a feedtube of a proportionately larger bore so that the liquid is suppliedfrom the container 37 togthe Well 36 in a continuous supply as fast asit is depleted.

' Thus, a slow acting poison can be elfectively employed.

Since, the vent tube has its lower end terminating in a commonhorizontal plane with the lower end of the feed tube, liquid will flowfrom feed tube 46 until the level of liquid in well 36 is such as toeffectively seal the vent tube to cut oif further flow. As the level ofliquid in the well is lowered by rodent consumption, evaporation or thelike, the vent tube will again become effective to permit gravitationalflow of liquid from container 37 through feed tube 46 to again raise theliquid level to where the vent tube 48 is again blocked.

In the modified feed means shown in FIGURE 3, a dry feed such aspoisoned grain, mash, pellets, etc., is used in place of a liquidrodenticide employed in the construc- 4 tion of the apparatus of FIGURESl and 2. To utilize dry feed the removable plate 44 and the feed andvent pipes carried thereby is omitted'and is replaced by a funnel 5%carried at its upper hopper-like end portion 52 snugly fitted Within thethroat of the container 37 which now carries a supply of dry feed. Thefree end of the discharge portion 53 terminates a short distance abovethe bottom of well 36 in cup 34 so that dry feed from the container willgravitate therethrough to fill Well 36. As the dry feed in well 36 isconsumed by rodents, it will be replenished by the gravitational fall ofadditional feed through the funnel 59 from the container.

Whether liquid or dry poison is used, the poison cannot spill from theapparatus even though the device is.

tilted, tipped over or upended. [his safety feature is apparent from thehereinbefore described construction since the only openings into casing10, with container 37 attached, is by way of the passages defined byconduits 30 and 32, and these passages open into the casing along itslongitudinal axis centrally thereof and well into the interior of thecasing. Therefore, where a liquid rodenticide is used and the casing istilted, tipped over or upended, and liquid in the well 36 and additionalliquid which may flow from feed tube 46 will gravitate into the interiorof the casing about the outer surface of the conduit St} or 32,depending upon the direction of tilt, tip or upending, and the level ofthe liquid will never reach a height to enter the end of a conduitopening into the casing. Thus, each conduit along with the surroundingWalls of the casing defines a closed compartment in which spilled liquidwill be contained in the event the apparatus is upset so that nospillage of liquid from the apparatus can occur. Where a dry rodenticideis used, the same result will obtain preventing spillage from the devicein the event of tilting or upending of the casing.

From the'foregoing, it will be appreciated that there has been provideda rodent exterminating device of simple yet rugged construction,requiring no maintenance so long as a rodenticide supply remains in thecontainer to be metered in either a slow or fast flow, in the case ofliquids, to well 36 and in the case of the dry poison until all drypoison in the funnel has been exhausted. Also, due to the constructionof the device, all danger of any person or household pet contacting therodenticide has been eliminated because spillage from the device isefiectively prevented.

What is claimed is:

1. A rodent exterminator comprising a casing having a top wall with anopening therethrough, a bottom wall, side walls fixed to and extendingbetween said top wall and said bottom wall, and end walls closingopposite ends of said joined top wall, bottom Wall, and side walls, atubular conduit carried by each of said end walls and projecting intosaid casing along the longitudinal axis of the casing to terminate at alocation between the end wall by which it is carried and the mid-pointbetween the end walls to define a passageway into the interior of saidcasing, a cup carried by and extending upwardly from said bottom wallwithin said casing, means on said top wall about said opening forreceiving a container and including an inwardly extending annularshoulder, a container adapted to hold a rodenticide carried by said topwall means and disposed in said opening, and means car ried by said topwall disposed within said opening and including a delivery conduitextending from said container to said cup for supplying rodenticide fromsaid container to said cup.

2. A rodent exterminator comprising a casing having a top wall with anopening therethrough, a bottom Wall, side walls fixed to and extendingbetween said top'wall and said bottom Wall, and end walls closingopposite ends of said joined top wall, bottom wall and side walls, acylindrical conduit carried by each of said end walls opening at one endthereof through the end wall and opening at its other end interiorly ofsaid casing to define a passageway through which a rodent may enter intothe casing, a cup carried by said bottom wall within said casing, anupstanding annular cellar formed on said top wall concentrically aboutsaid opening, an annular flange projecting inwardly of said openingconcentrically thereof to define an annular shoulder, a liquidpoison-containing container having a pouring neck received into saidcollar to be supported on said top Wall, and means for supplying theliquid poison from said container to said cup comprising a platesupported on said annular shoulder be- 10 tween said container neck andsaid opening to close said opening, a feed pipe carried by said plateopening at one end into said container and at its other end into saidreceptacle, and a vent pipe carried by said plate to extend therethroughinto said container and into said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS812,761 Meier Feb. 13, 1906 937,108 Smith Oct. 19, 1969 2,328,591 WeilSept. 7, 1943 2,860,445 Yates Nov. 18, 1958 FORETGN PATENTS GreatBritain Feb. 20, 1946

1. A RODENT EXTERMINATOR COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A TOP WALL WITH ANOPENING THERETHROUGH, A BOTTOM WALL, SIDE WALLS FIXED TO AND EXTENDINGBETWEEN SAID TOP WALL AND SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND END WALLS CLOSINGOPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID JOINED TOP WALL, BOTTOM WALL, AND SIDE WALLS, ATUBULAR CONDUIT CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID END WALLS AND PROJECTING INTOSAID CASING ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CASING TO TERMINATE AT ALOCATION BETWEEN THE END WALL BY WHICH IT IS CARRIED AND THE MID-POINTBETWEEN THE END WALLS TO DEFINE A PASSAGEWAY INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAIDCASING, A CUP CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM WALLWITHIN SAID CASING, MEANS ON SAID TOP WALL ABOUT SAID OPENING FORRECEIVING A CONTAINER AND INCLUDING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULARSHOULDER, A CONTAINER ADAPTED TO HOLD A RODENTICIDE CARRIED BY SAID TOPWALL MEANS AND DISPOSED IN SAID OPENING, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TOPWALL DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OPENING AND INCLUDING A DELIVERY CONDUITEXTENDING FROM SAID CONTAINER TO SAID CUP FOR SUPPLYING RODENTICIDE FROMSAID CONTAINER TO SAID CUP.